Laterally shiftable digging boom



July 4, 1933. H. H, BARBER 1,916,247

LATERALLY SHIFTABLE DIGGTNG BOOM Filed Aug. 7, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 1July 4; 1933. H BA 1,916,247

LATERALLY SHIFTABLE DIGGING BOOM Filed Aug. '7, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7VE YUF flaw/y fi. 527-1661? H. H. BARBER LATERALLY SHIFTABLE DIGGTNGBOOM Filed Aug. '7, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 171 51: .ZQUF 7 July 4, 1933.

July 4, 1933.

H. H. BARBER 1,916,247

LATERALLY SHIFTABLE DIGGING BOOM Filed Aug. '7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4July 4, 1933.v H. H. BARBER LATERALLY SH'IFTABLE DICTGlNG BOOM FiledAug. 7, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIIIIII/II/II/YI/l Patented July 4, 1933'UNITED s'r 'rEs HARRY H. BARBER, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOBARBER-GREENE COMPANY, I

PATENT OFFICE Q 7 OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOISLATERALLY SHIFTABLE DIGGING BOOM Application filed August 7, 1931.Serial No. 555,764.

supporting and shifting the boom solhat 5. the same can be shifted-todig a trench, at different lateral locations withre'spect to the vehicleor truck upon which it is supported.

The invention comprises the novel struc-. ture and combination of partshereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined inthe appended claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthis invention and in which similar reference 1 numerals refer tosimilar features in the different views: I

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a ditching machine embodying Jalaterally shiftable boom involvingthis invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional viewtaken in a longitudinaldirection through the laterally shiftable, carriage and parts adjacentthereto with parts shown in elevation. v i

Figure 3 is an elevational view taken substantially upon the lineIII-III of Figure 2 looking into the machine.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken upon the line IV-IV ofFigure 2 9 looking in the direction of the arrow and showingpart inelevation.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line V V of Figure3 looking'in the direction ofthe arrow.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken upon the line VIVI of Figure 2showing part in elevation.

In the drawings there is shown the usual.

crawler 1 embodying a crawler. frame 2. A

1; plurality of upwardly inclined angle bars 3 are attached at theirlower ends to the frame 2. A gusset plate 3a is attached to the upperend of each inclined angle bar 3 and struts 3b are connected to theplate 3aand 45 frame 2 as shown in Figure 1. In referring to Figure 2 itwill be seen that a plate member 4 extends across the upper portions ofthe inclined angle bars 3. A rack 5 is attached to the plate 4 and apair of angle 50 members 6 are attached upon opposite sides of the rack5. These angle members 6 have their outstanding flanges braced bysuitable upstanding struts 6a which rise from the angle bars 3. Achannel member 7 extends transversely of the rear ends of the frame 2. Abearing plate 9 is attached to the top of the channel member 7 and arack bar 8 is attached to the upper flange of the channel member-'7. Acarriage is supported on the parts just described for transverseshifting movement as will presently appear.

The carriage comprises a shiftable frame as shown in Figure 4. Thisshiftable frame consists of a pair of spaced angle bars 10 whichconverge forwardly as indicated at 11. The forward portions, of theangle bars 10 are connected by a casting 12. Intermediate portions areconnected by angle bars 13 having filler blocks 13a to space the sameslightly beneath the angle bars, as shown in Figure 2. In referring toFigure 2, it will be observed that the casting 12 has a pair of hangers14 upon which rollers 15 aremounted just beneath the outstanding flangesof the angle bars6. As many sets of rollers 15 may be used as isnecessary to anchor the carriage to the crawler frame for transverseshifting movement. Upon the rear margin of the carriage, there are apair of spaced castings 16 in which rollers 17 are mounted and travelupon the bearing block 9 which rest'upon the transverse channel bar 7.The superstructure of the transversely shiftable carriage consists of apair of upright struts 18 extending from the casting'16. These uprights18 are connected by means of gusset;

plates 19 to diagonal members 20 which are attached to the casting 12.Brace members 21 also extend from the J castings 12 to the verticalstruts 18. V

The digging boom which .is represented by the reference character 22'isattached by means of radius rods 23 (only one of which isshown) to ashaft 24 which is journaled in suitable brackets 25 attached to .the,uprights 18. Spacing arms 26 (only one of which is shown) are connectedto the castings 16 and connected with the boom. A shaft 27 is suitablyjournaled upon the carriage, preferably in the casting 12 and thebearing 28.

which is attached to an angle member 29 which in turn is secured to ashield plate 30 attached to the upright struts 18. Spur gears 31 aresecured upon the shaft 27 for traveling upon the rack bars 5 and 8 asclearly shown in Figure 4. Intermediate the ends of the shaft 27, thereis secured a worm gear 32, Figure 2, which is in mesh with a worm 33secured upon a transverse shaft 34 which is suitably journaled in. thecarriage and which is provided with an operating crank 35 at one endwhereby the said shaft 34 may be rotated for rotating the shaft 27 andcausing the gears 31 to travel uponthe racks 5 and 8 for shifting thecarriage transversely. The head sprocket 32a on the boom is connected bya sprocket chain 32?) to a sprocket 34a mounted upon shaft 24 andcontrolled .by a clutch 3511 as shown more clearly in Figure 5. A secondwheel 36 upon the shaft 24 and which is controlled by a clutch 37 isconnected by'a sprocket chain 38 to a sprocket 39 which operates thewinding drum 4O ,5, for winding up the hoisting cables 41 which 2 v vare trained over pulleys 42 mounted upon a shaft 43 which is journaledin the gussets 19 on the uprights 18. The head sprocket 32a drives thebucket chain 22a as is well known in the art.

slidably mounted upon a shaft 47. It will be noted that the shaft 47 issubstantially sprocket gear 48 at one end which is connected by suitablesprocket gearing 49 and 50 to a motor 50a.

In referring to Figures 4 and 6, it will be observed that a yoke 51 isconnected to the transverse members 13 upon each side of the gear 46 andsuitable filler members 51aare loosely mounted upon the hub of the gear46 for absorbingthe impact ofjtheyokes, with the result that when thecarriage is shifted, one yoke 51 will shift'the gear 46'therewith sothat the sprocket gears 44 and 46 willalways he in proper alignment fordriving shaft 24. v

The operation of the digging boom is well known and requires nodescription. Itmay however, be mentioned that'the carriage that supportsthe digging boom may be transversely shifted upon the main frame of thecrawler by merely rotating the crank 35 for rotating shaft 34 which inturnrotates shaft 27 and causes thegears 31 thereon to travel over therack bars 5 and 8 for laterally shifting the carriage and boom. Duringsuch shifting movement of the carriage, the driving gear 46 for the boomwill shift therewith so as not to disturb the driving relationbe tweenthe stationary motor and'the shiftable I am aware that many changes maybe made and numerous details of construction may be varied through awide range without departing from the principles of this invention, andI, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereonotherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a ditching machine comprising a crawler having a frame, transverseracks mounted upon said frame, a carriage mounted upon said frame, apair of angle members secured adjacent one of said rack bars, hangersupon said carriage adjacent said angles, rollers journaled in saidhangers and engaging beneath said angle members, a shaft carriedby saidcarriage, gears upon said shaft engaging said rack bars, means forrotating said shaft for-transversely shifting said carriage, a boomsupporting a digging chain supported by said'carriage, and drivingmechanism for said chain including a polygonal shaft, 3. gear upon saidshaft, and a yoke connecting said gear to the carriage for the purposeset forth.

2. In a ditching machine including a frame, a carriagemounted upon saidframe, means for shifting the carriage transversely upon said frame, adigging boom including a bucket chain pivotally supported upon saidcarriage for elevating and lowering movements, driving mechanism on saidcarriage andframe fordriving said bucket chain ineluding-a slidableelement on said frame and a connection between said carriage andelement.

3. In a ditching machine embodying a c'rawler'frame, a carriage mountedupon said frame, means for transversely shifting said carriage, a boomsupported upon said carnage and having'a digging chain thereon, drivingmechanism for said chain partly mounted upon said frame and partlymounteduponsaid carriage and including an element slidably mounted uponsaid frame and means on said carriage for engaging and shiftingsaidelement when said carriage is transversely shifted.

4. In a ditching machine including a main frame, a transverselyextending rear rack bar mounted upon the main frame, a forward rackmounted upon said main frame at a higher elevation than said rear rackbar, a carriage having gears mounted upon said rack bars and extendingin an upwardly and forwardly inclined plane, a boom having a diggingchain pivotally mounted upon said carriage, a power generating deviceupon the main frame, a shaft upon the main frame, gearing connectingsaid device and shaft, a slidable gear upon said shaft, a connectionbetween said gear and carriage whereby said gear is transverselyshiftable with said carriage, and driving mechanism between said gearand digging chain.

5. Ina ditching machine, including a main frame in an upwardly andforwardly inclined plane, means for shifting said carriage transverselyof said main frame, a boom including a digging chain pivotally mountedupon said carriage for elevating and lowering movements, anenginemounted upon said main frame, a shaft mounted upon said main frameand'geared to said engine, a gear slidably mounted upon said shaft anddriving means between said gear and digging chain.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Aurora, KaneCounty,

Illinois.

' HARRY H. BARBER.

